


Guilty as charged

by woodsong_1978 (Vae)



Category: Firefly
Genre: Community: au_abc, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-13
Updated: 2006-08-13
Packaged: 2017-12-07 19:55:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/752430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vae/pseuds/woodsong_1978
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Alliance forces did make it to the Maidenhead in time to arrest both a known smuggler and a wanted fugitive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Guilty as charged

**Author's Note:**

> Another post for my [](http://au-abc.livejournal.com/profile)[**au_abc**](http://au-abc.livejournal.com/) [table](http://woodsong-1978.livejournal.com/14415.html#cutid9) (scroll down). Xiexie to [](http://lvs2read.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://lvs2read.livejournal.com/)**lvs2read** , as ever, for her marvellous beta job.

There was a kind of irony to it, Mal had to admit. Almost symmetry. All the times the doctor had questioned him after a job or a peaceful bar brawl, anxious to know that they'd done nothing to draw the attention of the Alliance - and the first thing that happened after Simon Tam had finally taken his sister and left Serenity was River starting a bar fight. A bar fight of monumental proportions, no less. A bar fight that had brought the Alliance guards running. Of course, by the time the guards had arrived, the only two people left standing in the bar had been Mal and Simon, and Mal had his arms full of River. Not that the guards were interested in her, at that point, except to dump her none-too-gently in a corner in order to snap handcuffs onto Mal's wrists. Simon had protested, of course, despite the urgent "bì zuĭ mǎ shàng" looks that Mal was sending him.

So, here they were, just the two of them, sitting in a holding cell after being read their rights and an impressive list of charges. Once the officer had run their details and identified Simon, he'd dispatched a team to collect River. From the delay in their return, they were evidently experiencing some difficulty with the task.

Simon hadn't spoken since they'd been brought to the guard station, except to answer the officer's questions in a tight, clipped voice. That had impressed the seriousness of their situation on Mal more than anything else. It took a great deal to stop the doctor shooting his mouth off. A mouth that, now, was firmly closed, as Simon perched on the edge of the narrow shelf that was intended to act as a seat. He radiated a dangerous stillness, like a cat preparing to pounce. This cat would lash out at any provocation, but he wasn't going to pounce any time soon. He was waiting.

For his part, Mal couldn't stay still. His handcuffs had been removed just before the door to the cell was sealed, and he absent-mindedly rubbed at the lingering soreness in his left wrist as he paced back and forth. It was twelve and a half paces across the clinical white cell, an annoying length that had him turning early on occasion and walking into the wall on others. Combined with Simon's continuing silence, it wasn't helping his mood. 

"Nothin' to say for yourself, Doc? 'Cause I'm thinkin' you got some talkin' to be doin'."

Simon glanced up briefly from his clasped, still-cuffed hands. "About what?"

"Oh, I dunno, Doc, how 'bout you start with just what exactly happened back there in the Maidenhead?" Mal turned his back to the bars, folded his arms and glared.

"River happened." Simon gave an odd smile.

When nothing more was forthcoming, Mal let out a frustrated growl. "Yeah, I'm gettin' that bit. River happened. You stopped her happenin'. You knew, Doc. You knew how to stop her. Which, to my mind, suggests you had knowledge of how she might happen. Wanna try explainin' to me how come you kept her on my ship, with my crew, eighteen months and never mentioned it? Knowin' she could _happen_ at any time?"

"Well, so much for trying to convince them we'd never met before."

"Huh?

Simon looked away. "I just thought...I didn't mean for this to happen. I thought maybe if I could convince them you were just in that bar by chance..." He trailed off. "Well, not that it matters now. They've got it from the monitors."

Mal sent a scowl at the camera in the corner of the cell then transferred it to Simon. "Wouldn't fly, Doc. They've got records. Records linkin' you with us since Ariel. Since Early. Since Dobson. Now, can we get back to you bringin' that timebomb onto my boat?"

Anyone else who'd spent any amount of time with Mal would have recognized the threat waiting behind his mild tone, but not Simon. Dr. Tam had a fine brain, but not a gorram clue when it came to dealing with people, save for his sister. Mal sometimes wondered if it was a coincidence that the boy had chosen a specialty where his patients were unconscious most of the time.

"A bomb of any kind needs to be triggered, Captain. While we were on Serenity, it was highly unlikely that anything would be able to trigger her."

"Unlikely." Mal crossed the room to stand over him, hands curling into fists. "Unlikely. You knew this could happen?"

Simon raised his chin stubbornly. "Not this, precisely -"

"I got _precisely_ no time for games, Doc. Answer the gorram question."

"I...Yes." For the first time since the guards had left, a flicker of emotion was discernible on Simon's face. "The people who helped me break River out...they taught me a safe word, in case something happened. I didn't - Captain, I swear to you, I never knew it could be something like this, but it's not her! Not River. They cut into her brain, they've altered the chemical balance...she didn't mean to, I know it. It's not her."

Mal stared down into Simon's eyes. Shame. That was it. Shame and fear. With a sigh, he forced his fingers open again and relaxed, turning to settle on the edge of the shelf next to Simon. "I know, Doc. Had her around long enough to know she ain't the kind to go killin' folks without good reason. Still think you should've said somethin' to me. Might've made sense of that time Kaylee said she went to shootin' those guards."

"I'm sorry. I didn't...I was afraid that...I thought you'd throw us off." It was barely more than a whisper.

"Could be you're right." Mal stretched out his legs and studied his boots. "Then again, could be you're not. Could be we might've been able to help. Or you might. Been keepin' more'n just tales of your sister from me, ain't you?"

"Shén me?"

"Story you told us, you just collected that crate with River inside. Those charges don't seem to tally with that one. That's one impressive rap-sheet, Dr. Tam." Mal slid a look across at Simon. The doctor was still staring at his hands.

"It's not Dr. Tam. Not any more."

"Huh?"

Simon's knuckles turned white as his fingers tightened. "I was struck off. Not on the medical register any more. I've been removed from the central database."

Mal made a dismissive noise. "That ain't what makes you a doctor. Seen you work. Doctorin's part of you. Changin' some database ain't gonna stop that. Coupla letters here or there ain't gonna change you."

"No." Simon gave a half smile.

"Feel like tellin' me the rest of it? You an' River an' how you got those charges?"

"Not right now, no. And I don't suppose there'll be another opportunity." Simon looked up at last, eyes startlingly blue in contrast with his dark hair and the white walls. "I won't be seeing you again."

"What kinda defeatist gŏu shǐ is that meant to be?" Mal attempted a rallying grin, but it faded before the absolute honesty in Simon's eyes. "C'mon, Doc, can't go thinkin' that way."

Simon's mouth twisted wryly. Mal's gaze fell from the expressive eyes to the full lips, and he swallowed. Simon's tongue flicked out to wet his lips. "You know, you've never once called me by my name?"

"What? That ain't true. Used your name plenty of occasions."

"Never to me." There was an edge of wistfulness to his words.

"Well, you ain't ever called me nothin' but 'captain', save one time." Mal considered, thinking back. "Even when you didn't know I was listenin'."

"I don't suppose it matters, now. I won't see you again. Or if I do, I won't know you."

"Simon -"

"Mal," he interrupted desperately. "Don't. You heard the charges. If I'm lucky, I'll end up on a terraforming crew and I'll be dead of exhaustion in a couple of years. If I'm not, I'll spend the rest of my life in a cell smaller than this, on my own. If I'm really unlucky, I'll be assigned to a correctional facility to be re-assimilated and then, even if I did see you again, I wouldn't recognize you. I know that. Don't try to tell me otherwise. I don't need you to lie to me, Mal."

Mal drew a deep breath and reached across to cover Simon's joined hands with one of his own. No wonder the man was holding them together so tightly. He could feel the shaking. "Ain't gonna lie to you, Simon. But none of that's gonna happen. Promise you that."

"I thought you said you weren't going to lie to me?"

Mal tightened his grip. "Ain't lyin'."

Simon met his gaze challengingly. "I don't believe you."

"Truth, then. You tell me. Those charges they got against you, they right?"

"Some of them." Simon leaned back against the wall, hands shifting along his thighs with the movement. "Not all."

Mal tried to ignore just where his hand was now resting. "Bein' in a blackout zone?"

"Yes." Simon closed his eyes.

"Consortin' with known criminals?"

"Yes."

"Other'n me," Mal pressed. 

"Before I even met you."

"Huh." Mal considered that for a moment, and decided to move on. "Forced entry to an Alliance facility?"

"Yes."

"Impersonatin' an Alliance official?"

"Yes."

"Assault on Alliance personnel?"

"Yes."

Mal could hardly believe it. All this time he'd been thinking the young man as green as they come, straight as a die (well, some dice, he mentally amended, remembering one particularly unsuccessful dice game with Jayne), and here he turned out to have a record longer than Mal's own. "Kidnap?"

"River." Simon's eyes opened.

" _Kidnap_?"

"I took a minor from the custody of her legal guardians."

"She was _sixteen_!" Mal exploded. "Ain't that old enough to take responsibility for her own actions?"

"Not on Osiris." Simon's lips twitched as if they wanted to smile. "Think about it, Mal. They're still trying to retrieve her. However they want to use her, they can't employ a criminal, which is what she would be if she were legally old enough to take responsibility. So, kidnap."

"Right. Damage to Alliance property?"

"Yes."

"Resistin' arrest?"

"Yes."

"Thought you said they ain't all accurate?" Mal raised an eyebrow.

Simon regarded him for a moment before replying. "They're not. You missed some. Indecent exposure, yes, disturbing the peace, yes, intent to cause affray, no."

"Indecent... Wŏ de tiān a, Simon, had no notion I was harborin' such a dangerous criminal!"

"In my defense, I'd like to point out that the last of those charges was this evening and wholly inaccurate, and the previous two were many years ago. Graduation night."

"Right. So." Mal couldn't stop himself from asking. "How, exactly, does graduatin' lead to you bein' charged with indecent exposure? Thought it'd be all staid, proper parties. All kiss-your-hand and dancin' like you're scared to touch your partner."

Simon laughed aloud and grinned at him. "It was. This was after. It's a kind of informal passing out ceremony. A ritual, almost. Every med student to graduate successfully from their internship has to climb the statue of Hippocrates. Naked. You don't want to know what the ones who failed end up doing. They usually... _had_ usually, I suppose. I don't know about the last couple of years."

"Well, no," Mal agreed, trying not to stare and trying very hard not to start imagining Simon naked, because the mental picture was very inviting indeed. "Never knew Serenity was keepin' you from such hi-jinks."

"Mal?"

"Yeah, Simon?"

"I don't miss it," Simon said quietly. "Not any more. It's...there are other things that are more important, now."

Mal caught his breath at the intense expression on Simon's face. "What kinda things? River?"

"Yes. And...well, you may as well know. Since I won't see you again -"

"Will you stop sayin' that?"

Simon ignored him and continued, looking him straight in the eye. "I love you. There, I've said it. I love you. I've loved you since the night you first offered me a place on Serenity. Since you told me how you'd kill me."

Mal groaned. "Tiān a, Simon, you couldn't've said somethin' a coupla days back?"

"What?" Simon's mouth dropped open.

Mal shifted to sit sideways on the seat, turning his body to face Simon. "Ain't no way I'd've let you leave if I'd known...an' there was I, holdin' off, 'case you an' Kaylee..."

"Kaylee? No. I was hoping that she'd find another...did you think I didn't know?"

"Never showed a sign of it. Not of her. Or of me."

"You?"

"Yeah. Me. Didn't think you'd ever...an' now -"

"Mal," Simon interrupted. "Are you saying...that you might possibly be interested? In me? As something other than a punching bag?"

Mal stood up, needing to move. Eleven paces from the bench to the opposite wall. "Done your share of punchin' today." He leaned against the wall. "Yeah. I'm interested."

Simon shook his head, hair falling into his face. "I...you...why?"

"What kinda huāng miù de question's that meanta be?" Mal snorted at the stunned expression on Simon's face. "Prettiest thing I ever saw, all fired up with pepper an' spice...ain't nobody gets under my skin like you do, Simon. It ain't comfortable, but it's there. You're there. Bein' interestin'."

"Mal, I..." Simon stood, awkwardly. "I know this isn't exactly...but there won't be another chance."

"Chance for what?" Mal eyed him suspiciously. "An' I told you already, quit talkin' that way. We're gettin' out of here. Both of us."

"Chance to..." Simon took a few steps towards him, and then stopped. "Mal, please, may I kiss you?"

"What? Simon, dunno that you've noticed, but we ain't exactly in a kissin' environment." Mal cursed his hasty words as Simon's shoulders slumped and he turned away. "Simon, I didn't...just meant..."

"No, Mal. Captain. Don't. Please. Forget I even mentioned it."

"The hell I will!" Mal closed the distance between them rapidly, spinning Simon around and steadying him as he lowered his head to join their mouths together. It wasn't right, wasn't the right place, wasn't the right time, and Simon deserved better. Deserved gentle courting and long evenings of talk and teasing, deserved soft beds and low lights and privacy, but that didn't matter. Because, right then, what Simon was getting was rough kissing and rising passion, and he didn't seem to mind one bit, judging by the sounds he was making and the way his body was pushing forwards and the frantic movements of his chained hands against Mal's chest. Mal broke the kiss reluctantly to satisfy the need to breathe and take the chance to study Simon's face. It really was a picture. Lips swollen, cheeks flushed, eyes heavy and hazy with want, mouth slightly open as Mal pulled him in closer. 

"My God, Mal," he gasped, hands reaching up towards Mal's face.

"Nope," Mal returned with a grin, freeing one hand from its eager exploration of Simon's back to lift Simon's arms and duck his head inside their loop, the chain of the cuffs resting against the back of his neck. "Your captain. Don't get muddled. Or do."

Simon rolled his eyes and wound his fingers into Mal's hair, tugging his head back down for another kiss. Mal groaned and tightened his hold, tongue licking delicately at the corner of Simon's mouth until the lips parted to let him in, and Mal was lost. There was no way he could leave Simon to whatever fate the Alliance had planned for him, not when the man felt so gorram good and tasted better, tasted of a mix of spice and lemon and vanilla, tasted more real that anything else Mal had ever tasted, and that was a flavor that Mal decided he'd always want more of. The flavor of Simon. It was something he didn't intend to have to do without, though he hoped to get the chance of tasting it again without the metallic tang of desperation and fear behind it.

Simon moaned softly in the back of his throat, vibrations rippling against Mal's mouth, and he delved deeper in response, tongue tangling with Simon's and finding more, even better flavors. Mal was damn sure he'd never kissed Simon before, but it didn't feel like a first kiss. Felt more like remembering something he never knew he'd been missing, all familiarity and knowing what to do, how to move, when to push, when to ask and when to take...

"Well, Mr. Tam," a supercilious voice interrupted. "It's a shame you're headed for solitary. Looks like you're ideally suited for the full prison experience. Sluts are always popular, while they last. You'd need to look elsewhere for a protector, though."

Mal growled, tensing. Simon met his eyes in a silent plea, and unhooked his hands from Mal's neck, stepping back and away. Suddenly cold without him, Mal straightened up and folded his arms, staring the officer down. He could just see Simon out of the corner of his eye, looking all small and folded in on himself. Beaten.

The officer's mouth twitched as his gaze flicked between Mal and Simon, finally coming to rest on Mal. "Mr. Reynolds. We have reviewed the security feeds, and it seems there has been a misunderstanding. Clearly, you were only acting in self-defense, and since there are no further active charges against you, you are free to go. I would apologize for the inconvenience, but you don't appear have been greatly inconvenienced by your temporary incarceration."

Mal flushed angrily and bit his tongue, refusing to respond. Whatever he might have to say would only make matters worse for Simon. Instead, he turned to Simon, waiting for the younger man to meet his eyes and hating the wary look on his face. "Meant what I said, Doc."

Simon nodded slowly. "I still don't believe you, Captain."

"One minute, Mr. Reynolds." The officer smirked.

Mal ignored him, pulling Simon back against him. Simon stiffened for a moment, and then relaxed, stretching up to brush his lips over Mal's ear. "Look after her for me," he whispered. 

Mal nodded very slightly then released him, following the officer from the cell without looking back. No matter how much he wanted to. 

***

It took Mal a while to return to Serenity, mostly because he had to be certain he'd lost his tail before dropping in on Fanty and Mingo to retrieve his share of the take. He was just grateful to see that Serenity was still docked, Kaylee pacing anxiously outside.

"Captain!"

He offered her a tired grin, thinking that he really would have to talk with her once Simon was back. Or Simon would. "Hey, Kaylee. Everyone home?"

"Yes, sir!" She bit her lip nervously. "An'...River's back, too. Ain't no sign of Simon, but she showed up coupla hours back, just ran in. Weren't no way we could stop her. Sorry, Cap'n, we did try, but we can't find her. Know she's somewhere on board, but -"

"She's here."

Mal looked up at the quiet statement. River stood behind Kaylee in the open cargo bay, her posture all calm purpose. "Shiny."

River tilted her head to one side, watching him as he strode up the ramp. "He told you."

"Yeah, he told me. Zhōng yú." Mal didn't need to ask who 'he' was. "Others about?"

"Here, sir." Zoë appeared on the catwalk above, descending the stairs rapidly. Jayne followed on behind her, somewhat slower. "Wash is through on the bridge. We good to go?"

"Get the take?" Jayne demanded.

Mal flung the bag of cash at him. "Yeah. Get that stowed. Zoë, can't go quite yet. Got us a medic to retrieve. Ain't flyin' without one. Gets kinda messy."

Zoë blinked then gave a small smile. "Right, sir. Doctor retrieval. Now?"

Mal looked at her for a moment, wondering if his feelings were really that obvious and if he'd been the only one on board unaware of Simon's feelings. River caught his eye and nodded towards Jayne. Mal grinned. "Now, Zo. Docking permit's only got a coupla hours left. Best go bring him home."

The smile on River's face eclipsed even his own in sheer brilliance before she turned and scampered away into the ship, leaving him to gather Zoë and a still slightly staggering Jayne and head out on the retrieval mission. 

No, he wasn't going to fly without Simon. He was going to keep his promise, and then he was going to find out what the rest of Simon tasted like.

 

* * *

 

 ** _Translations:_**  
 _bì zuĭ_ \- shut up  
 _mǎ shàng_ \- now  
 _Shén me?_ \- sorry? what? pardon?  
 _gŏu shǐ_ \- crap  
 _Wŏ de tiān a_ \- My God  
 _Tiān a_ \- Oh God  
 _huāng miù de_ \- ridiculous  
 _Zhōng yú_ \- Finally


End file.
